[Early and late results of St. Jude Medical prosthesis in aortic and mitral portion].

January, 1980 to December, 1988, 118 patients underwent aortic (AVR) (45), mitral (MVR) (55), aortic and mitral (DVR) (21) valve replacement with a tilting disc valve prosthesis, the St. Jude Medical. Age ranged from 11 to 69 years (mean 49). There were seven death within thirty days after the surgery (AVR 1, MVR 5, DVR 1). Follow-up is complete and ranges from 1 month to 107 months (total 392, 4 patient-year (pt-yr), AVR 127.7 pt-yr, MVR 182.6 pt-yr, DVR 82.0 pt-yr). In the AVR group, three late deaths have occurred and actuarial survival at 8 years is 89 +/- 5%. Five patients have sustained thromboembolic episodes from linearized rate of 4.7%/patients-year, and the probability of remaining free of thromboembolism at 8 years is 83 +/- 7% in survivors longer than thirty days after the surgery. In the MVR group, one late death has occurred and actuarial survival at 8 years is 87 +/- 5%. Two patients have sustained thromboembolic episodes from linearized rate of 1.1%/patient-years, and the probability of remaining free of thromboembolism at 8 years is 86 +/- 1% in survivors longer than thirty days after the surgery. In the DVR group, four late deaths have occurred and actuarial survival at 8 years is 75 +/- 12%. Two patients have sustained thromboembolic episodes from linearized rate of 2.4%/patients-year, and the probability of remaining free of thromboembolism at 8 years is 85 +/- 5% in survivors longer than thirty days after the surgery. There is no significance of actuarial survival rate among three groups, but the rate of thromboembolism in AVR group is significantly higher than in other MVR and DVR groups in the first 20 months. Reoperation was carried out in one patient because of perivalvular leak. There have been no thromboses of the SJM valve and no mechanical valve failure. Because of this experience, The St. Jude Medical heart valve prosthesis is our prosthesis of choice for any patient undergoing valve replacement with a mechanical prosthesis.